Saturday, May 5, 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9 Review and Specifications

In the Android world, there is no more important event than the annual Samsung launch of its latest Galaxy S devices. It is also one of the first of the cycle of the year with the Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9 + arriving at the Mobile World Congress at the end of February. Both devices feature iterative updates for 2018, with updates on most fronts, as well as some additions of ordered features, as well as more gadget features.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a very fast phone, shaking everything it could throw with minimal noise. For a phone that costs £ 739 / $ 739, this should not be a surprise, and you'll find phones that feel fast for a lot less money.

At the heart of the phone is Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 (which will change depending on your area, we Brits will get the latest and that's the version I'm using for comment), but, whatever version you get, wait they do it They work the same way. In addition to the typical increase in GPU and CPU speed, the new SoC can handle new features such as improved facial recognition and slow-motion video recording at 960 ips.

The chip comes with 4 GB of RAM, 2 GB less RAM than the S9 Plus variant. It's odd that Samsung does not maintain parity between devices, but do not let that tempt you to spend on the larger model. I did not notice any real difference in the heavy areas of RAM; My only problem would be how it stays after a few months of use.

Samsung Galaxy S9 - Software

In the same way that little has changed in the way the Galaxy S9 works on its predecessor, so does the Samsung software. It is still smartly designed, offers attractive icons and flowing movements between the application panel and the notification panel, but it is very different from the way Google sees Android.

Duplicate applications are a big problem: there are two browsers, galleries, email clients and application stores. Of those who would say that it's only the browser that's better than the Google alternative, it's amazingly fantastic thanks to the expansion support and the night-time playback mode.

You can disable and hide some of these applications, but very few can be completely removed from the device. The same can be said of Samsung's virtual assistant, Bixby; it can be disabled, but the button that starts it cannot be reassigned to another function.

Bixby was not particularly impressive when he launched with the Galaxy S8 and very little changed here. Now there is voice support for basic questions, but try anything tedious and Bixby will fail. Even basic questions like "How is the weather today?" Often, they are unanswered. Samsung made fun of the release of Bixby 2.0 later in the year, so I hope things will improve.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Design

From a design point of view, Samsung has made no significant changes to the Galaxy S9, for better or for worse. The design still sees the glass at the front and back, with a metal edge on all sides. On the front and the back, the screen and the glass curl toward the edges. And just like with the Galaxy S8, the 18.5: 9 screen occupies an important place on the front panel without the need for a ridiculous cut.

Samsung has come a long way in improving their phone designs and has made some of the best phones on the market in recent years. The Galaxy S9 + is a beautiful phone, the curved glass looks fantastic, the metal edges feel great, and there is almost perfect construction and high quality.

However, the sliding of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is still a concern, as it did with the Galaxy S8. Having a crystal on both sides and so thin metal edges make it hard to hold this phone firmly at times, and if you place the device on any surface even at a smooth distance, the Galaxy S9 can easily slide. It has not been much thought to improve grip, with Samsung, however, continues to promote beauty during the function.

These large glass panels lead to the same longevity concerns I had with the Galaxy S8 line, especially because of the curved edges that expose the glass when it falls. The Galaxy S8 was one of the most fragile phones I've ever seen: forums and social networks are plagued by relatively minor falls complaints that lead to broken screens and expensive repair bills. I can not see that the Galaxy S9 is different in this respect.

Samsung has made a handful of important design updates. The fingerprint sensor on the back is now in a sensitive place under the camera: it does not stain the lens every time you try to use it now. There is also a facial recognition that uses a combination of the iris scanner and the front camera, which is good but not as fast as the fingerprint scanner. Face unlocking should be as quick and accurate as face recognition or Windows hello so it's worth using; the Galaxy S9 + is not there yet.

It is good to see that Samsung continues to provide IP68 water resistance for immersion in 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, although you should not use your phone in salt water. There is still a microSD card slot to complement the internal storage options (especially when you can add 128GB for just $ 40!) And there is also a heart rate monitor to use with Samsung Health.

Samsung Galaxy S9 - Camera

The biggest area of innovation in the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the camera. This is the only feature of the Galaxy S9 that feels really new and unique.

Instead of having a fixed-aperture lens, as is the case with virtually all other cameras, the S9 can switch between f / 2.4 and f / 1.5, providing an ideal lens for day and night photography. If it is clear outside, it will fire at f / 2.4; when there is less light available, the lens will expand and use f / 1.5 to let in more light.

Samsung Galaxy S9 - Battery Life

The battery life of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is almost the same as that of the S8 last year. Even with the move to a more efficient mobile chip, it's a pity that Samsung has not been able to extract more than 3000 mAh battery juice.

It's also a pity that the size of the battery has not increased, especially since you now have to deal with a more energy-hungry screen.

Obviously, the life of the battery varies considerably depending on its use, but unless you are a really light user, it is unlikely that you will be able to spend the day without some anxiety at the end of the day. about the battery. During the review period, I was usually looking for a charger around 8 pm